Manufacture of washers



(No Model.)

0. T. GRILLEY.

MANUFACTURE OF WASHERS.-

N0.-33.8,347. Patented Mar. 23, 1886.

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UNTTnn STATES PATENT Orrlcn.

CHARLES T. GRILLEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MANUFACTURE OF WASHERS.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,347, dated March23, 1886.

Application filed November 30. 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that 1, CHARLES T. GRILLEY, of Boston, county of Suffolk, andState of Massachusetts, have invented an Improve mentin ProcessesofMaking Washers,of which the following description, in connection withthe accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters onthedrawings representing like parts.

In the manufacture of leather washers it has been customary to cut thesame in circular form from sides of leather, and then by press arecompact the fibers of theleather together, thereby making a hard anddurable washer; also to take strips of leather, bend the same over aformer, and unite the free ends.

In the first instance, washers to be cut in circular form requirecomparatively large pieces of leather, and consequently are usually cutfrom sides of leather, which being neces sarily expensive, they cannotbe made at any material profit, as the waste which occurs by skiving tothe required thickness in unsuitable stock and the loss in cuttingincrease the cost of the washers about fifty per cent.

In the second instance, washers made from strips of leather having theirfree endsjoined together are always weak and incapable of withstandingthe strain put upon them when joined by any of the numerous formsot'joints now devised; consequently such washers are considered inferiorto what is commercially termed a solid washer.

This invention has for its object to cut oval or other shaped rings fromleather or other suitable material, one of the outside diameters of thesaid rings being less than the outside diameter of a completed circularwasher, and then by pressure forcing the said rings into true circularform, that they may be utilized for washers.

It has been devised by me to cut rings of oval or other shape from smallpieces of leather which are too small tube of any material commercialvalue, and to force the said rings into a true circular form, therebymaking a solid washer from a single continuous piece, which will bestrong, durable, and inexpensive, and

equally as valuable as an ordinary solid washer.

The invention consists in cutting from leath- Scrial No. 184,307. (Nospecimens.)

er oval or other shaped rings, placing the same upon a former,and bypressure forcing the same into a true circular form.

Figure 1 shows in vertical section a machine capable of carrying outthis invention; Fig. 2, a top view of the former; Fig. 3, in horizontalsection,a device for bending the washers previous to applying them tothe machine, if so desired, the core being shown in elevation; Fig. 4, aleft-hand end view of the core shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5. a face view of aring asit is cut from the leather; Fig. 6, a similar view of a completedwasher.

In accordance wit-h this invention, and as previously set forth, thering 2, ofoval or other shape, having one ofits outside diameterslessthan the outside diameter of the completed washer 3, as shown in Figs. 5and 6, is preferably cut from small pieces or strips of leather whichare too small to be successfully utilized for other purposes, andtherefore very cheap.

The rings 2, as shown in Fig. 5, are forced into thetrue circular formshown in Fig. 6by pressure exerted in various ways, and by any suitablemachine.

The oval rings to be made into washers may, and preferably will,beplaced upon a core, A, (see Figs. 3 and 4,) having a tapered endportion, a, and a follower, ct, of suitable diameter, surrounding thecore, will then be pushed upon it, moving the rings from the tapered endportion a downward upon the circular portion of the core A, thus givingto the washer a pre liminary bend, tending to open the sharp bends orcorners at the end portions of the rings. The washer thus partiallyshaped is then placed upon the former B, which consists of the core, B,mounted upon a suitable post or shaft B, and having an annular abuttingface, B and a series of jaws, I), having tapering end portions pivotedby suitable pins,

b, within the annular abutting face 13.

The jaws b, four in number, as shown in Fig. 2, are so constructed as tonormally bear against each other by gravity, leaving, however, betweentheir upperends a circular orifice, b, and the said jaws b are sotapered as to present an oval-shaped end, as shown in Fig. 2.

The former B, constructed as described, is placed within a ring, 0, ofsuch diameter as it is desired that the completed washer shall haveoutside, said ring being mounted in any suitable frame-work, D, the saidformer B be ing normally retained in elevated position by 5 a spring, E.

The follower F, attached to or depending from any suitable moving rod orarm, F, is provided with an annular abutting face, F", and with acentrally-located tapering pintle,

f, the latter being adapted to enter the orifice b, formed at themeeting ends of the jaws b, theabutting face F surrounding the saidjaws.

Aring, 2, after being detached from the core A, is placed upon the jawsor expanding device b and the follower F is made to descend.

The pintlef first enters the orifice b, expanding the jaws b, and theannular abutting face 1? then strikes the said ring, forces it down uponthe said jaws and against the annular 2o abutting face B, and then inits further descent depresses the entire component parts of the formerB, forcing it and the ring 2 down through the ring 0, the upper edge ofwhich is slightly beveled, such movement effecting the final stretchingand compression of the washer. After this the follower F and the formerB, acted upon by the spring E, return to theirnormal positions,respectively, and the washer, which has been forced by pressure into atrue circular form, is removed from the tapering jaws or expandingdevices. In order to accomplish this with facility and to give to thewasher a set, that it may be entirely devoidof all tendency to returnagain to its 5 normal position and to produce a hard and compaet'washer,the latter is preferably made pliable by soaking the same in waterprevious to having any pressure exerted upon it.

It is obvious that the preliminary stepplaeing the ring 2 over the'coreAmay be dispensed with, if desired.

' WVhile it is preferable that a machine constructed substantially inaccordance with that herein shown be employed, it is obvious that othz'rdevices capable of forcing an oval or other shaped ring having one ofits outside diameters, as that shown by the dotted line m, Fig. 5, lessthan the outside diameter of the completed washerfi, (shown in Fig. 6,)may be constructed without departing from the spirit of this invention.

It will be seen that by this method of manufacturing washers smallpieces of leather, which are usually thrown away'or burned, may beutilized to great advantage, and that a solid washer, which is in everyway equally as valuable, commercially, as the solid washer now upon themarket, may be made.

I claim-- That improvement in the art or method of manufacturingcircular washers which consists in cutting from leather an oval or othershaped ring having one of its outside diameters lessthan the outsidediameter of the completed circular washer, and then forcing the sameinto true circular form by pressure, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES T. GRILLE Y.

NVitnesses:

B. J. N OYES, F. CUTTER.

